


Known Confessions

by GirlDressedInBlack



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28437804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GirlDressedInBlack/pseuds/GirlDressedInBlack
Summary: Ada and Hecate spend a peaceful and pleasant evening in the staff room, empty for the winter break. This is barring anxieties around confessions which should have perhaps happened long ago.
Relationships: Amelia Cackle | Ada Cackle/Hardbroom
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	Known Confessions

**Author's Note:**

> Hey- I like. literally never post here. Hope my unproof-read mess is enjoyable! If a certain someone is reading this, yes it is partially for you and also for my dumb gay brain which instantly imagined all of this upon seeing the prompt 'fireside confessions'.

As happens every time the days start to grow shorter and the flagstones more bitterly cold, the girls had left the castle once again, home to celebrate Yule, Hanukkah, Pancha Ganapti and, strangely more commonly now, Christmas. 

Most of the staff have gone by now too, though they will doubtlessly pop back several times before the solstice for tea, forgotten books or an escape from the pressures of family. They’d said goodbyes in twos and threes as they’d trickled out after packing or last minute mirror calls to check details on where they were going to be this year and anything that needs to be collected, harvested or bought on the way.

It leaves the castle quiet, barely even the thrum of magic from holding so many witches in the same place present, dulled down to a subtle warmth and an ease of focus which Hecate has always appreciated. The accompaniment of the crackling fire, not far from where she is seated, as poised as always, on one of the worn couches in the staff room, only brings the comfort to a wholeness which only this season can induce in her.

Hecate had once presumed this was merely that she didn’t want the company of others, more unruly than she was making herself and, quite honestly, not as smart. 

She wasn’t wrong, per say, in this judgement of herself and of others, however, that wasn’t everything that was involved in the deep comfort which settled over her when the castle cleared for winter.

As much as Hecate longs for the slightly more variable selection of potions ingredients that she can harvest over the summer (and the more comfortable weather to do it in), there’s something about coming inside from the cold, the smell of smoke, the warmth of tea and spices and coffee, the long cloaks and ways that she can take comfort in the heaviness of an old jumper or coat without the questions which would ensue from the people who don’t know her as well.

And this moment now is just as comfortable as that first evening after the castle has mostly emptied always is.

Ada is staying for now. It’s a sort of tradition they’ve always kept since she started teaching at Cackles and wanted to get to know Hecate, the person she was already eyeing up as a potential deputy head, a little better.

The two of them sit, strange bookends on the sofa.

Ada is wrapped in one of her pink cardigans as usual, shoes off and sitting somewhat cross-legged so that she can face Hecate and hold Pendle in her lap, sleeping splayed somehow across most of his mistress, tummy exposed, head tilted back over her thigh. She breathes in deeply, enjoying the quiet and the spiced tea, another one of Hecate’s blends perfected over so many winter holidays with little interruption, almost as much as Hecate is.

Morgana rests closer to the fire, curled into a ball on a chair all of her own, one eyes squinting open a little every now and then, as if she is a very sleepy chaperone to the two, or otherwise just making sure that her mistress is still there.

Hecate has been setting her classroom to rights for the whole day, making lists of what needs to be collected, replaced and discarded, and taking the time to precisely schedule when she will harvest what she needs to harvest, mentally going through her list of sources for the best quality ingredients for the things which she can’t find within a convenient distance and how their deliveries are timed to plot when she should try contacting each purveyor to fit in with getting the ingredients both with the longest date before their qualities start to diminish or increase too much for the girls and before the girls will need them.

She has everything planned out, aside from the time she will doubtlessly need to spend with guests.

This means that she can take this time now to relax, she reminds herself of that and of her knowledge, post a rather embarrassing (from Hecate’s point of view) conversation almost a decade ago which she will never bring up again, that Ada enjoys spending time with her and so it’s really okay to not start trying to harvest what she can this very evening.

The conditions aren’t quite suited for most of what she needs anyway. It is neither the first snow of the year, nor a deep snow, nor a blizzard, nor the sleet or hail which some rather rare ingredients require to be harvested at their peak and is, altogether, quite unremarkable in every way.

So it is definitely okay for Hecate to sit, back straight and chin lifted, on a couch in the staff room and to drink a tea which she has made especially for such an occasion with perhaps her closest friend.

Which is why Hecate starts to panic when Ada says in that soft but amused tone of hers;

“Hecate, you do know that you don’t need to spend every winter here now, don’t you?”

She smiles softly, glasses steaming just a little from the proximity to her tea.

It isn’t her fault that Hecate’s mind immediately goes to dangerous places which set her cheeks ablaze and make her heart thud far too loud.

She stutters for a moment, unable to meet Ada’s eyes as she contemplates, or rather attempts to avoid saying, the truth which somehow manages to force its way through her lips.

“I know- I just. Have reasons for wanting to stay. Reasons that I may not have let others be aware of.” She pauses momentarily, cracking open an eye to glance at Ada whose smile just shifts into slight bemusement. 

Hecate takes a breath before realising that she’ll have to clarify.

She can’t really just pretend there’s an emergency elsewhere when they both know the castle is empty and there’s no reason for Ada to not come and help with it.

So she continues, looking directly to the right of Ada’s face as she grimaces.

“Reasons which may be somewhat… Unprofessional in nature.” She says, wincing and hoping that Ada has got the message by now.

The other witch tilts her head, smile strained slightly by confusion.

“Reasons concerning you- my feelings towards you.” Hecate forces out in a rush, teacup clutched between her hands and in her lap, looking down to avoid having to see the emotions on Ada’s face.

Ada is quiet and Hecate chances yet another peek at her.

The other woman huffs out a laugh which ripples the surface of her tea, in turn making Pendle map, blinking up at his mistress and shaking his head to clear the sleep before yawning in that horrific way that cats do.

She’s quiet for a moment longer but Hecate senses that looking at her is okay somehow.

“I must admit that unfortunately you haven’t done such a complete job of hiding them as you thought.” Ada chuckles, “What I meant to say was that, if you would like, you can spend the Christmas with me. With Agatha, well, you know, and mother gone the house can get awfully quiet. We both have various duties here but the change of scenery might be nice for you, don’t you think?”

Hecate is stunned, looking at her cat, sleeping peacefully on the chair near the fire as if Hecate’s mind isn’t having a fire of its own rage through it.

“I- I’m sorry?” Hecate asks, looking at Ada beseechingly, needing something to calm the rush of confusion and affection taking all her focus.

The other woman smiles, leaning forwards and placing a hand on her knee in a way which means both nothing and everything. Pendle slips to the floor, tail flicking in slight grievance.

“I am asking if you would like to spend some time with me, Hecate. Nothing more or less. You have no obligation to say yes or no.” Ada tells her.

Hecate nods, swallowing, processing.

Ada allows her the time, eyes gentle on her and hand still.

“Would you like that?” The pink witch asks, patient.

Hecate nods, slow but sure, it feels inadequate so she places her tea down on the worn side-table and places her hands over Ada’s.

“Yes. I would like that, to stay with you for a while.” She confirms, heart beating like it could push its way out of her chest.

Ada smiles, eyes creasing.

“Good.” She says, patting Hecate’s knee, “I’m also saying that I return your affection but we don’t have to do anything about that until a time when you might feel comfortable with it, hm?” Ada says, voice warm.

And the relief and love, she supposes that she can finally say it even if only to herself, which floods through her at that is so strong that she lets out a breath which she didn’t realise she had been holding.

“Yes. I- thank you. For understanding.” Hecate says.

Ada smiles.

“Hecate, you are not as difficult to understand as you think.”


End file.
